Solomon Is earthquake

Airport damage hits Solomons quake cleanup

Nine people are now confirmed dead from yesterday's Solomon Islands tsunami

Stuff,

7 February, 2013

In a statement the National Disaster Management Office says there are nine confirmed deaths with a child swept out to sea.

"It is too early to have a clear picture of the damage caused," the office says.

"The high number of aftershocks and the difficulties inherent in accessing Temotu makes gathering swift accurate information a challenge. The concern is for the more remote areas of Temotu where no reports have been forthcoming thus far."

A spokesman for the prime minister said the 1.5m waves that roared into Santa Cruz Island on Wednesday were too fast to outrun for some villagers.

George Herming said several other people were missing today and strong aftershocks were keeping frightened villagers from returning to the coast.

He estimated 100 homes had been damaged or destroyed by the tsunami triggered by an 8.0 magnitude earthquake.

TROUBLED RESPONSE

Planes are not yet able to bring relief to the tsunami and earthquake-hit Solomon Islands because of damage to an airport inundated by tsunami surges.

Sipuru Rove, a spokesperson from the National Disaster Management Office in Honiara, said the relief effort was hindered by debris at Lata airport.

"We will not be able to put a plane to the disaster site because the runway is still full of debris," he said.

"We have to clear away the debris, enough space for the plane to land. Then we will fly."

He said two boats would be sent to the area later this morning, carrying medical supplies, water containers, food, bottled water, and clothing.

In Wellington this morning, Prime Minister John Key said the New Zealand government was in touch with Solomon Islands authorities but as yet had received no formal request for help.

"Obviously they've been affected... I'm not fully aware of all of the devastation that's taken place as a result of the tsunami," Key said.

Foreign Minister Murray McCully says New Zealand will give $200,000 in emergency assistance to the Solomon Islands.

Additional assistance will be considered in due course. The money will be for humanitarian supplies and support to the Solomon Islands Government assessment teams.

"The earthquake and subsequent tsunami, which hit the remote Temotu Province, caused damage to a number of homes, and sadly there are reports that lives have been lost," McCully said.

"Due to the remoteness of the area it might take some time for the Solomon Islands Government and relief agencies to gain a full picture of the damage."

In the Solomons, Rove said he had received reports overnight that the public water system in the affected area was either damaged or destroyed, so many did not have access to clean water.

He said the disaster office would take a team of about 20 people, including doctors and nurses, to the area.

Though the assessment of the damage was still underway, Rove said four schools had been destroyed and more than 400 households destroyed or damaged.

The magnitude 8.0 quake struck yesterday at 2.12pm (NZT), 340km east of Kira Kira in the Solomons, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre in Hawaii said.

Solomons officials reported two 1.5-metre waves hit the western side of Santa Cruz Island.

Many villagers had headed to higher ground as a precaution, George Herming, a spokesman for the prime minister, said.

The US Geological Survey said more than three dozen aftershocks up to magnitude 6.6 rocked the region in the hours after the quake,

Warnings were issued for the Solomons and other South Pacific nations, including New Zealand, but they were later cancelled.

However, New Zealand Civil Defence officials urged swimmers and boaties to be cautious of tidal surges and strong currents on the west coast between Taranaki and Milford Sound.

A spokesperson from the Ministry of Civil Defence said there was no change in sea activity caused by the tsunami overnight.

"We haven't had any reports of unusual ocean behaviour between Taranaki and Milford Sound," he said.

A spokesman from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said New Zealand was ready to assist the Solomons.

"We will consider all requests for support from the Solomon Islands government," he said.

"There has been no request for international assistance from the Solomon Islands at this stage."

He said the areas affected are relatively remote.

* Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported that the airport damage was at Honiara. It was at Lata.

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